People v McCoy
2011 NY Slip Op 08779 [89 AD3d 1110]
November 29, 2011
Appellate Division, Second Department
As corrected through Wednesday, January 4th, 2012


The People of the State of New York, Respondent,
v
IsaiahMcCoy, Appellant.

[*1]Lynn W.L. Fahey, New York, N.Y. (Kendra L. Hutchinson of counsel), for appellant.

Richard A. Brown, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, N.Y. (John M. Castellano, Nicoletta J.Caferri, and Laura T. Ross of counsel), for respondent.

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Hollie, J.),rendered February 10, 2009, convicting him of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degreeand reckless endangerment in the first degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed.

The defendant's challenge to the trial court's questioning during defense counsel's cross-examinationof a witness is unpreserved for appellate review (see People v Charleston, 56 NY2d 886, 888[1982]; People v Rivers, 85 AD3d826 [2011], lv denied 17 NY3d 821 [2011]; People v Bembury, 14 AD3d 575, 576 [2005]). In any event, while thecourt, at times, took an active role in the questioning during cross-examination, its conduct, "measuredboth qualitatively and quantitatively" (People v Yut Wai Tom, 53 NY2d 44, 55 [1981]), didnot deprive the defendant of a fair trial (seePeople v Rivers, 85 AD3d 826 [2011]; People v Perez, 30 AD3d 542 [2006]; People v Bembury, 14AD3d at 576). Any potential prejudice to the defendant was minimized by the trial court's instructionsadvising the jury that the trial court had no opinion concerning the case (see People v Rivers, 85 AD3d 826[2011]; People v Charles-Pierre, 31AD3d 659, 660 [2006]; People v Bembury, 14 AD3d at 576).

The defendant's contention that the prosecutor improperly vouched for an eyewitness during hissummation is without merit. The challenged remarks were responsive to defense counsel's summation(see People v Carey, 67 AD3d 925[2009]). The defendant's remaining contentions that he was deprived of a fair trial by certain otherremarks made by the prosecutor during summation are unpreserved for appellate review (seeCPL 470.05 [2]; People v Romero, 7NY3d 911, 912 [2006]; People v Tonge, 93 NY2d 838, 838-839 [1999]). In any event,the challenged remarks were either fair comment on the evidence adduced at trial or responsive todefense counsel's summation (see People v Ashwal, 39 NY2d 105, 109-110 [1976]; People v Jones, 76 AD3d 716, 717[2010]; People v Diaz, 59 AD3d459, 459-460 [2009]). Angiolillo, J.P., Hall, Austin and Miller, JJ., concur.


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